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我从网上买来陌生人的信件，看看半个世纪前的他们都在聊些什么

信海拾贝系列时隔2个多月才再次更新，实属偷懒了。

上次在文章结尾说要分享一些异国的信件，在精挑细选后，我选中了这封长达四页纸，来自一百多年前第一次世界大战时期的美军家书。

(资料图)

这是一封于1917年底，由法国寄往美国宾夕法尼亚州布拉多克的军事邮件，寄件人是当时服役于美国远征军的一位名叫弗农（Vernon）的军人，收件人自然是位于大西洋另一端的的妻子。

由于当时流行花体字，辨识信上的内容成了我面前最大的阻碍。最终得益于在线翻译服务，我找到一位美国人帮忙做了人肉OCR，将信上的手写体做了辨认之后，我再翻译成中文，分享给屏幕前的各位。

背景知识：

第一次世界大战期间，美国于1917年4月6日向德意志帝国宣战。1917年7月，在时任总司令约翰·约瑟夫·潘兴的命令下，美国远征军（A.E.F）于法国成立。历史上，这支军队曾与法国、英国、加拿大、新西兰与澳大利亚军队并肩作战，抵抗德意志帝国军队。主要参与的战役包括1918年的圣米耶尔战役和马兹一阿尔冈战役。

然而由于潘兴坚持“美国士兵在开赴欧洲前必须接受充分训练”的主张，远征军的主力部队从1918年1月开始才陆续赶赴欧洲，在此之前只有少数部队抵达法国，而我们这封信的作者弗农，就是其中之一。*

信件正文：

注：因为辨识精度和缺少上下文等原因，信件正文的翻译并不精准，敬请理解。

法国某地

1917年11月7日

亲爱的明妮：

我读了你在10月7日寄来的信，你看，信寄到这里差不多是得要1个月的时间。

在信里，你从来不提有没有收到过我的来信，但我一直在坚持写信，希望有朝一日它们能抵达目的地。

你随信寄来的照片很不错，尤其是背景里的风景，让我想起了以前经常散步的乡下，希望我能早日亲眼见到那儿。

听说薇尔莉特改了主意，不打算参加训练了，这让我感到很意外。如果这件事和麦克（主角儿子）有关的话，我得写信和他好好谈谈了。首先他不应该干涉这件事，另外告诉他我的看法，让他正确理解我的用意，也是我一直以来的习惯。

麦克基弗小姐对于她读到的美国胜利论的文章的观点是正确的，不过据我所知，那都是舆论手段，国内的舆论战打得比这里还激烈。

你说弗格森先生没有通过测试，所以又回来了。如果你说的是彼得·弗格森的话，从他开始出入B.G.H.（疑似British General Hospital，即英国综合医院的缩写）那会儿起，我就知道他想应征入伍，就连失败的原因我也早知道了。

如果麦克不给我写信的话，那等我回国之后，肯定得找他好好聊一聊。我知道他学业繁忙，而且一定经常晚上出去浪。我倒不是盼着他有多用功学习，只是希望他不要总把晚上的时间浪费在外面，虚度光阴。

今天有两个战友从医院回来了，还有一个昨天就回了，所以我们今晚来了一个小小的家庭聚会。晚上的炉火烧得正旺，大家忙着把自己的鞋子烤干，尽管我们已经习惯了湿着脚的野鸭生活——我重申一遍，我一点都不羡慕鸭子们。今晚我们点了一堆篝火，这点温暖让我们非常舒服。

很抱歉我不能给你寄照片，虽然我拍了一些，但规定不能寄出去。我想不出来你究竟想要什么样的照片，但在那边如果你需要些什么，尽情自便吧。我想我应该告诉麦克，让他把我的那些衣服拿去穿。

你还没告诉我你的哥哥（弟弟）后来怎么样了，我想知道他现在在哪，在做什么。要是他打算去工作的话，你可以劝他继续自己的研究，他在学校的经验是个很大的优势。

你从来没提起过你去看的那些演出，我知道看演出是你的爱好之一，尽管我没有机会陪你一起去，但我想知道你至少度过了几个愉快的夜晚。

好吧亲爱的，我要开始念圣诞祝词了。我今天才意识到距离我上一次被送上救护车已经过去一年了，那是一个周六的早晨，我后来休息了好一阵才恢复。

事后很多人说我运气不错，能预知未来，原本我可能没机会走出医院。也许下次，我会开怀接纳那些善意的邀请和建议。

祝你圣诞快乐，我对你的心意此生不变。

爱你的，弗农

祝所有人圣诞快乐，新年快乐

弗农·C·朱迪

15排E连

美国远征军

法国

出于保密的原因，军事邮件寄出前都需要经过内容审核，所以我们无法从信中得知更多关于战况的信息，作者谈论更多的还是家长里短的琐事。

相信大部分人对一战的印象主要来自游戏《战地1》或是《1917》、《他们已不再变老》等影视作品。真实的信件提供了一个更加贴近生活的视角，让我们了解战争年代普通人所关心、重视的东西是什么。

*美国远征军部分信息来源于维基百科

附录：经过辨认的信件原文

Somewhere else in France

11/7/17

Dearest Minnie:

Read your letter yesterday dated 10/7/17 so you see it takes nearly a month for our mail to reach its destination you never say in your letters whether you receive any of my letters or not but have kept on writing just the same in hopes some of them would go thro and finally reach their goal. The picture enclosed is very good including the scenery in the background as it gives one an idea of the surrounding country there which I have often wondered about most of which I expect to see some day soon. I am surprised to hear that Violet changed her mind about entering training and if Mike had any thing to do with it I think I will start a diary correspondence with him immediately if not sooner as I don’t think he should have interfered and always had a habit of telling him what I thot and he understood it in the right way. 

Miss McKeever may be right about her solution to the article she read of the Americans winning the combat providing they get close enough to use those articles with which they are unexcelled. but as far as I know there is considerably

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more of that type of fighting going on over there in The States than there is here. You stated that Mr Ferguson did not pass examination so he is back again, just who do you refer to, is it Peter Farqueharson that was in school if so when did he start visiting at B.G.H. I would like to know what he tried to enlist in and why he failed. if I get back to the States and find Mike again there is going to be one grand settlement if he don’t write some letters of course he is busy with his school work and undoubtedly is spending the evenings out. I don’t wish him much hard luck but I wish he were here he wouldn’t spend many evenings in, they are all spent out. Two fellows came back from the hospital today and one left yesterday so we have a little family reunion tonite. Family reunion last nite and stove warming for tonite every one trying to get their shoes dryer are getting accustomed to the life of a duck gradually and I will say once and for all that I don’t envy a ducks life at all. We have a fire fixed up tonite and a little heat feels 

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very comfortable. I am sorry I can’t send you any photographs as I have some snapshots but am not allowed to mail them. I can’t imagine what picture it is you wanted out of the trunk but you can help yourself if there is anything there you want. I suppose I might as well tell Mike to take my clothes and wear them out. You have not told me about your brothers progress lately I would like to know where he is and what he is doing, if he decides to go to work and you can induce him to continue his studies he still has a great advantage in the school of experience. You never say anything about any shows you attend, I always thot that was one of the many things you enjoyed and would like to know that you were still spending at least a few pleasant evenings even if I do not get the opportunity here. Well dearest if this is to bear a Christmas greeting I will have to get it started on its way. I just happened to think today that about one year ago I took a ride in an ambulance one Saturday morning and stayed quite a 

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while at the journeys end, very peacefully to as I was afterward told many times that had I been a reader of the future I might have rimaind a permanent fixture in the building instead of a constant visitor maybe next time I will listen to invitations and good advice especially terms of peace. So wishing you a very Merry Xmas with all my heart I remain always. 

Lovingly. Vernon.

Merry Xmas + Happy New Year to all.

Vernon C. Judd.

Co. E. 15th U.S. Eng

American Exp. Forces

France